Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-03
IN THE HANDS OF UNCLE DICK"
Last Hope of the Anarehists-Ssd Scenes
at the JaiI-IIow the Prisoners Received
the News

Last Hope of the Anarchists-Sad Scenes
at the .Iail-How the Prisoners Received
the News
CHICAGO Nov. Only the will Of Richard
], Oglesby, governor Of Illinois, sometimes
the genial, but oftentimes the cold, stern, and
implacable "Uncle Dick, stands between the
galIows and the seven condemned Anarchists
in the county jail strange the lawl throt-
tie itH were the EXPLANATIONS which rang
through Havmarket square as the bomb de-
scended on its terrible mission and Wednes-
day the highest tribunal in the country placed
upon him the responsibility of deciding
whether or not the law should strangle and
throttle those that defied and outraged it
That responsi biIity is a terrible one, but those
who know him know also that whatever he
considers his duty will be done without
fiinching, and that like the laws of the Medes
ard Persians his decision once arrived at is
unalterable. That decision is now only
matter OF few days.
"These men are prepared for death. They
ask no mercy. they expect none" So said
Death Watch Osborne Wednesday morning.
Just before seven little girls dressed in white
had brought in as many baskets of fruit
whom the donations came, but it was sur
missed that the erratic Train, who is now in
Omaha, was responsible for the act OF kind
ness. Gen NJ NJ Trumbull and George
Schilling came in soon after and held an
earnest conversation of half an hours durs
ton with Sam Fielden- For the next two
hours the condemned men were alone
with their own thoughts They knew that
In al probability their fate had bssn decided
but they manifested neither iinpatience, nerv-
business, nor anxiety. A private note ad-
dressed to Spies was The first intimation that
any OF them received that all hope, so far as
the supreme court was concerned, ives over.
He was sitting outside of his cell door, ope
moment writing, the next meditatively chew
ing .toothpick, when it was handed up.
Glancing at its contents he handed it back
to the turnkey and resumed his writing and
chewing. Not movement of the muscles,
not a flush upon his pallid cheek, indicated
that the news had given him any concern
Five minutes elapsed, and then turning to
the death watch he said with smile: ats all
up. You might as well spread the news
among the boys" Osborne obeyed and went
from cell to cell with the grim tidings
Fischer merely nodded Parsons smiled
Fielden who was lying down upon his cot
with his face toward the door, did not shift
his position an inch Schwab sat on stool
with his face buried in his hands what /
expected he said, and then covered up his
face again. Engle, who was pacing the
floor, continued to walk without uttering a
word. Lingg was reading, and did not even
so much as lift his eyes from his book.
Osborne returned to his post "Thsy all
know it. he remarked to Spies The latter
nodded and went on writing. Not word,
not look of inquiry, from the arch-conspir-
ator which would indicate that he was in
terested in knowing how his companions In
misfortune had received the news
Afternoon came, and with it the visiting
hour. The prisoners were ushered down
stairs and into the cage, where with faces
pressed close against the wire netting they
awaited the coming of their friends Mrs
Spies, accompanied by several neighbors, was
the first to put in an appearance, and as the
poor old lady reached the corner of the cage
where her son was sitting she sank upon stool
and burst into tears. For several moments she
sobbed and wept convulsively, while Spies
in with his mother, whispered words Of
courage and tried to buoy up her feelings
The buxom sweetheart of Louis Lingg came
in few minutes later, and she, too, was I'M
able to control her emotions She was still
crying when the fiaxen-h haired wife Of Michael
Schwab Joined the group, and in a moment
| the tears of the three unfortunate women
were mingling together. But the men on the
other side of the cage displayed a stoical de-
meanor and spoke so cheeringly that one
after another the women dried their eyes
and sat down to talk over the decision and
what it meant.
Then the shouts of infant voices were
heard, and Mrs Parsons with her little ones
came down the steps into the enclosure Her
| eyes were red with weeping, but she was evil
| IDENTIFY making strong effort toward self,
| control, and when she glued her lips to the
| wire in vain effort to meet those on the
| other side there was smile-although a sad
one-upon her face. Meanwhile two of the
little ones had been let into the cage, and In
the twinkling of an eye one was perched upon
Parsons knee and the other climbing upor
his shoulders, while the place resounded with
gleeful shouts of @Papai My Papal" "Give
me ride said the little girl presently, ant
pickingher up on his back the condemned mar
ran up and down the enclosure with the boy
| at his heels, while the little ones screamed
with delight This pastime continued fo
several minutes, and not until be was thor
| oughly exhaused did Parsons resume hi
| stool and co mmence to talk with his wife
Fischer and Engel were visited by severa
friends, while Joseph R. Buchanan, 81 TIL.
Labor Enquirer, after an extended talk with
Fielden, moved around the cage and spoke
few words to each of the prisoners.
As the visiting time drew toward clos
all of the women except Mrs Parsons grew
| gloomy again and wept quietly, while tn,
men did their best to console them. Nint
| Van Zandt, as is her custom, came In barely
ten minutes before it was time to say good
| night Her face was wreathed with smiles
l.s.A 4. Il L